


I'm Here

by StormblazeP51



Category: Cars(Movies), Planes(Movies)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Father-Son Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, PTSD, Some Fluff, Steel being a grump, Streetracers, What am I doing here?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-13
Updated: 2019-09-13
Packaged: 2020-10-17 16:54:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20624375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StormblazeP51/pseuds/StormblazeP51
Summary: Just a little snippet of Life, to be exact, a piece of the daily struggles that a small Unit of the CPD faces everyday. From interteam family relations, to trying to integrate a former Streetracer into the police forces. Bruce and his five Colleagues have their Tires full with work.





	I'm Here

**Author's Note:**

> And Here I am again, pestering the Fandom. This story was inspired by a nightmare, a song and some personal experiences. I hope that whomever may read it, has fun and please don't kill me if I got something wrong. I've never been to Chicago before but for some reason my brain said Chicago is a fine place for the story so, yeah here ya go. 
> 
> 'nother Lil' Character info:  
Steel Ruskow, 29:  
Black and white Ford Taurus Sedan Hybrid.  
His eyes are red, his personality is careful, distrusting and Quiet. He cares deeply for those that he considers Family. He was born on the Streets and his mother died very early. He was then found and raised by Streetracers that Later made him their leader.
> 
> Bruce Rodriquez,46:  
He's a Ford F-150 Pick-up truck with brown eyes.  
His parents came from Spain and moved to the US before he was born.  
His character is Calm, humorus, and curious.  
He had always been interrested in Justice and Nature. After he graduated he bacame a Park Ranger. He enjoyed the job but it just wasnt the right one yet. He send applications to several Police departments and was accepted in Chicago. 
> 
> Charlie Colesman, 23:  
Ford Mustang 5.0  
His eyes are Brown and his Character is easily annoyed and irritated, he can get quite aggressive but cares for those that he considers close friends and Family. He ran away from home to escape his power and succes addicted parents.
> 
> Gordon Catesby, 71:  
Ford Mustang SSP.  
He has green eyes, and is Quiet, Calm, humorus and sometimes a bit cranky. He was born into a family of Cops. 
> 
> Jessie and Jeff Lembry, 27:  
Police Interceptor utility SUVs.  
The twins have Brown and Blue eyes. Jessie: Blue(Left) Brown (Right)  
Jeff: Blue (Right) Brown(Left)  
Jessie is sharp witted, humorus and a true Bookworm. Jeff likes to Flirt, he's Adventourus, Crazy and Helpful, He's also two minutes youngr, which annoys him to no end. 
> 
> I hope that wasn't too much Input, have fun reading.

January 1994, A Dark, dirty alleyway deep in the midst of Chicago

"Mummy! Mummy! Mummy wake up! "Sobbed a small car trying to move a much larger, lifeless figure. The little hybrid cried even harder as his mother didn't move. Crying, freezing and frightened, the little Ford pressed against his mother's lifeless, cold body. A loud noise and the screech of a cat scared him and he whimpered as he pressed closer to his mother. A pipe beside him groaned and white steam rose from the gullies. Somewhere behind him something fell and he squealed as two rats chased past him, squeaking their protests out into the cold night air. He heard something big behind him slowly rolling towards him, and in the next moment the rumbling growl of another, much bigger engine .....

Time jump, December 2 years later, at an old Warehouse

“You call that Racing?! Come on, what are you, a Car or a toaster? Your curves are too sloppy and you're too slow on the straight drive, What the fucking hell was that supposed to be?” yelled a large Dark brown Hummer. His Paint was scratched, battered and blistered. His left eye was glazed and milky and a nasty scar on his upper lip pulled it upwards and exposed the ruins of teeth that were still left in his mouth. He was yelling at a small car that desperately tried to drive as fast as he could over a poor excuse of a street. The little Car sobbed for breath, his eyes were wide with fear and terror, *he had failed again, he would get punished. Draxter would beat him up again and then he would be put back in the dark room for the rest of the week, with nothing to eat or to drink*. He cried out in a mix of shock and pain as a heavy tire landed hard on his roof, pushing him down until his undercarriage scraped painfully against the ground. “Now, I'll show you what happens to those that can't drive, you little vermin!” growled the Hummer before he landed a powerful blow on the smaller Cars head...........

Steel awoke with a strangled cry. He hyperventilated, cold sweat glistened on his quivering flanks and he shook violently while he frantically looked around in the room he was in. _Am I back in the Warehouse? Did They find Me? Am I DEAD?_ These thoughts raced through his troubled mind while he desperately tried to make out where he was. Tears gathered in the corners of his eyes and he whimpered as they refused to adjust to the dark. Then, finally, after what felt like hours, he was able to make out some details. A Cupboard filled with trophies, framed pictures and books, a small table with a vase that was filled with Jasmin, Hyacinth and yellow Roses, another Cupboard, this one filled with cups, glasses and plates. A large Window, currently covered by a long purple curtain. He was in his and Bruce's shared sleeping quarters. Steel released a trembling sigh as he realized that he'd only had a nightmare. No, no nightmare, ... rather a repressed memory. He slowly lowered himself back to his sleeping mat, still trembling and sweaty but at least comforted with the knowledge that the dream had been of an incident, that happened a long time ago. He flinched as someone's tire gently brushed against his flank. He looked into his rear view mirror and saw Bruce. The older Ford looked at him with worry and compassion. "Just a Nightmare" Steel gasped. "Just?" Bruce asked, his deep Voice warm and comforting. "That's the fifth in the past three nights," Bruce whispered as he allowed Steel to snuggle up to him. "I know, I know Bruce, they just come back no matter what I do,..." Steel whimpered, pressing as much of his flank against Bruce's much broader one. Bruce frowned slightly at Steel's reply gently pulling the smaller Car closer to his warmth. He suppressed a sigh as he could still feel Steel trembling like a leaf in a storm. He quietly whispered sweet, comforting words into Steel's ear, all the while he rubbed gentle circles over Steel's flank. He perked up as Steel mumbled something, "I thought my PTSD had gotten better, it seems I was wrong," he whispered softly. Bruce smiled sadly at that, _It's true, Chrysler knows we've tried everything, from leaving on the light, to playing gentle music, it all had the same effect, namely none_. Steel closed his eyes and sighed softly. The touch on his side was gentle and reassuring, but above all, it served him as an anchor. A fixed point in his turmoiled, uncertain skies that helped him keep his path and not slip back onto the road into his dark past. Bruce lay down next to him and gently continued to caress Steel's flank until he slowly fell asleep again. The Pick-up watched over him and the other had no more nightmares that night.

0650 am, Downtown Chicago Police Department

The next morning Steel and Bruce rolled into the police station rather leisurely. Steel's eyes were only half-open, his pupils were tiny, and when he spoke it was slurred and incoherent. Not even after three cups of deep black Coffee was he really awake. As the two drove into the lounge room more than one colleague asked if Steel was okay. Steel ignored them, rolled straight to Charlie, Jessie and the rest of their unit and, once he had reached them, finally let himself drop so far on his chassis that his undercarriage gently touched the carpet-lined floor. Bruce joined them a few moments later, greeting the others with a nod. Gordon, the oldest of the six, first looked at the already dozing Steel, then he gave Bruce a worried-questioning look. Bruce looked around briefly, making sure none of the newbies could hear him, and then said softly "He had another nightmare" Gordon nodded with a deep sigh. His green eyes darkened with sorrow. “About what this time?” “From what I could gather from the stuff he mumbled in his sleep, then about the night he lost his mother and the time he spent with this Draxter guy” “Draxter? You mean that creepy, old hummer? The one that shot himself as we raided the Warehouse?” “Yes” Bruce could see that this piece of information did not sit well with the older Cop. The old Cruiser was one of the very few that Steel trusted enough to share his past with. Gordon and Bruce aside, the only others who knew that Steel was an Ex-streetracer and former gang leader were Richards the Chief, Parker their station's Medic and some of the older Cops that had helped certify Steel. As he looked back at Gordon he found the old Cop regarding Steel with an expression of father-like worry. Their Unit existed since five years now. At first it had only been Steel,Gordon and Himself. Charlie, a troubled youngster from LA whose success addicted Parents had forced him to live a life that finally turned the Teen into a rebellious troublemaker, had been the next. He'd run away from home with seventeen and had spent some time on the street. After a couple of Months he broke down in Chicago, were Gordon found him. The old cruiser had taken him under his proverbial Wing and after a few months under his careful tutelage Gordon had managed it to turn the teen 180 degrees around. After the Kid had turned eighteen he'd applicated for the Chicago Police Academy. He'd passed with flying colors and became a part of Bruce and Steel's little unit. The last ones had been Jessie and Jeff, the Twins already had some experience with being a a Highway Patroler and became a vital part of their Unit. Bruce was brought out of his brooding as Gordon Gently nudged him. He looked at the older Car and smiled reassuringly. Gordon responded to that by raising his left brow. The Cruisers eyes drifted back to Steel and Bruce noted the hidden but still visible pain in the Cruisers gentle green eyes. Bruce glanced back at the hybrid, who was asleep now, his front tires turned inwards and almost hidden under his undercarriage. He always did that when he hadn't slept well the night before. Bruce guessed that making himself smaller served Steel as tactic to feel saver. Jessie and Jeff flanked him on either side, shielding him from the curious eyes of the newbies, that tried to get a look at the dozing Ford Taurus. Bruce sighed sadly, _I wish there was something I could do my friend, really, I do_.

0850am, Mountain road control point

Two hours later and Bruce and Steel sat at their usual Control point. A wide curve on a winding mountain road, surrounded by a forest of old Pines and Redwood trees. Steel was constantly threatening to drift off into dreamland, or Nightmareland as Bruce had dubbed the place where Steel's mind seemed to wander to when he slept. Bruce nudged him gently each time his eyes stayed closed for longer than three seconds, and although it annoyed Steel to no end, he knew that Bruce was right and that he couldn't allow himself to fall asleep. After all, he still had a job to do. Oh but it was so damned hard. The weather was perfect for a short nap, a slight drizzle, the Temperature was neither too hot nor too cold, and the birds in the trees sang serenades of ~the spring is here, the spring is here, winter is gone, winter is gone, all is well, all is well~. Steel yawned hugely, which exposed his canines. He gave himself a sharp full body shake and blinked several times. “Hey,” said Bruce, effectively catching Steel's attention, “Yeah?” “Let's play a game” “Okay, what do you suggest?” “Oh, how about City-Country-River?” “Hm, Sounds good, who starts?” “How 'bout you?” “'kay, A.....” “Stop” “E” “Alright”......

1000 am, Mountain road control point

“Hah! I won Baby” cheered Steel while he performed a short Victory dance. Bruce chuckled at the display of childish carelessness. It was something that he adored about the other Car. Steel was, just like himself, not really a people person, his time on the streets and the abuse done to him made him distrusting and cautious. Earning the younger car's trust was hard and required both, endless patience, and persistence, but once you had it, Steel was the most loyal friend one could have and Bruce liked him for that. Seeing him so carefree, even if only for a short while, made Bruce aware that, despite how mature Steel could act, at the very heart of him, he was still a child. “Bruce, you alright? you were spacing out” asked Steel, a mischievous sparkle in his brownish-red eyes. Bruce chuckled again, louder this time and said “I'm fine, just thought about some stuff” “Oh, okay, and I already feared that now I would have to keep you awake. Not an easy task, considering that you sleep like as if you're dead” Steel deadpanned. “Hahaha very funny” said Bruce, his tone light and warm and Steel grinned wryly. Combined with the PIT Bumper Steel actually looked quite dangerous like that, Bruce chuckled as he thought back to the first time he met his partner, back when the Taurus was still a criminal. Oh he wasn't easily scared but that experience surely took a few years off of his life. 

Flashback: 16th Autumn 2010, at an old Warehouse  
“Be careful, we're on strange ground here, 'nd a don't wanna have ta replace any of ma Boys, am I Clear?” asked Richards, the Chief of police for the CPD, while he threw a stern look at the assembled officers behind him. “Understood” said a F-150 Pick-up quietly, though more to himself than to Richards, who went by the name of Bruce Rodriquez. It was his first big mission on his new department and he was excited and scared at the same time. They we're here to arrest one of the most wanted Streetracers in all of Illinois, Steel Ruskow, a 20 year young, extremely clever speedster that had worked his way up through the ranks of the biggest illegal streetracingcircuit in all of Chicago, now he had become the leader of that circuit and he had been busy recruiting Homeless, Orphans and pickpocketers all throughout the state. They had tried to arrest him before, but each time, just when it seemed that they had him, one of his underlings always brought him to safety. This time would be different though. “Lets go in boys” said Richards, the old Crown Victoria slowly made his way through the collapsed entry gate of the old, run down Warehouse in which Steel had hidden himself. He had been betrayed by his second in Command about two weeks prior, poisoned and left for death, the other had then overtaken the leadership and had led the Streetracers deeper into Downtown Chicago. Steel though had somehow survived and had dragged himself to this old, poor excuse for a building that dared to call itself a warehouse. The stench of vomit and blood was everywhere, and combined with the smell of rotting wood and foul eggs which rose from the wet ground, it made all of the officers gag. One of them, a young uprising officer even threw up into a corner. Bruce glanced over at the kid, he wasn't far away from vomiting either. “Split up, but stay in earshot” ordered Richards quietly. A chorus of six “Yes Sir”'s and a soft, miserable groan from the young officer was the answer. Bruce slowly drove into one of the many lanes of the old building. It must have been used for Lumber storage, if the old, rotting logs that pilled up in clean stacks in eight rows from front to back of the old building was any indication. It was the perfect hiding place for someone who was done with the world. Bruce slowly drove trough the narrow hallway, he stopped each time he heard something move, listened and continued once he was certain that the source for the noise were his teammates. The farther he came to the end of the lane the darker it got. His eyes got used to sudden change in light only very slowly and that made him feel vulnerable. But what really made his plating crawl was the feeling of being watched. He had reached the back wall now and was just about to inform the others that this one was clear when something shuffled above and behind him. At first he thought it was just a very big rat but then he felt it. A pair of Eyes was watching his every move, observing and studying him. Bruce swallowed quietly, he hated this feeling. He slowly turned around, and looked up. He promptly regretted it. It was pitch black above him, which was in itself nothing startling. The thing that set him off was the pair of glowing red eyes that stared at him from above the logs. He keyed his radio, eyes fixed on the thing that stared at him. “Guys,.....” Richards immediately responded. “Have you found him?” “Actually,.....he found Me”. At that, the thing above him moved, the eyes stayed fixed on him, and a deep growl could be heard. Bruce drove back in shock as suddenly something black and white landed right in front of his nose. He squeezed his eyes shut and resisted the urge to gag as the foul mud from the ground splattered onto his hood and roof. He slowly opened his eyes and froze. Steel stood right in front of him, regarded him with open curiosity and.......sniffed him?. It was obvious that he'd never seen a police car up close, his underlings had always kept him at a safe distance from them. But this was something that Bruce had definitively not expected!. He didn't dare to move, let alone breathe. They were both very tense and just a single wrong move could make the situation escalate. As the other officers finally decided to check o him they made a lot of noise. Steel startled at that and actually hissed at Bruce's face before he turned around and drove off at a speed that could make even a formula one car jealous.. Once he'd regained his composure the last thing he saw from Steel was his back bumper that vanished through a hole in the wall, followed by the loud roar of a powerful engine. Bruce quickly shook of the mud, keyed his Mike again and informed the others that their target was making a run for it. In just a matter of seconds all eight Police officers had raced out of the Building and chased after the fleeing Car. But none of them could keep pace with Steel. Bruce was the second youngest of them all, but even he struggled as he drove after him. He came to a stop on a hill after several Minutes, panting madly. All he could do was stare after the other Car. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he was mesmerized. Steel had apparently made a full recovery in less than two weeks and was once again strong and healthy. Bruce was reminded of a wild Mustang as he watched the Black and White Ford Taunus drive across the plain and open, ash-blackened soil. 

End of Flashback-Back to current time. 

“Bruce, you still with me? You spaced out again!” said Steel, playful indignation clearly audible in his voice. “Oh, really? Sorry, I didn't mean to” replied Bruce, giving Steel a reassuring side bump. “Hm, what were you thinking abut? You looked like you've seen a ghost.” asked Steel. “Well, remember the first time we met?” “Tch, how could I forget, You were probably nicest Police car I've ever met. Allowing me to flee just like that.” said Steel. “Well, that's what I was thinking about, speaking of, your dream last night seemed pretty rough, what happened?”. He noticed the immediate change in Steel's behaviour. He back off into the forest, ducking under some bushes and made himself small. Bruce felt a pang of Guilt at that and drove to him, gently coaxing him out of his hiding spot. He allowed Steel to cuddle up to him, the younger always found it hard to talk about his past, or the nightmares that went along with it. “I already told you that I was four when my Mom died, and that it was the same night that Draxter found me. The first part of the dream was from the night on which I woke up and Mom was dead, the second part, was from about two years later, when Draxter 'trained' me to be a Streetracer. I didn't live up his expectations and he punished me. You know, beating and almost starving me to death. I know it sounds crazy, mean, and what do I know else, but, I'm glad that he's dead” finished Steel quietly. Silent tears slid down his cheeks and he trembled slightly. Bruce just listened, he knew that this was important for both of them. Steel sobbed softly, pulled his front tires underneath himself again and made himself small. Bruce gently pulled him closer, sharing his warmth and Steel gratefully accepted the wordless offer. He snuggled deep into Bruce's flank, closed his eyes and tried to calm down. After a while Bruce thought he could hear Steel's breath slow, and as he checked in his rear view mirror he smiled warmly. Steel was fast asleep, snuggled up against his side, and for once, he seemed to have a pleasant dream. Bruce settled a little lower on his suspension, his engine purred softly and he said: “ Your story didn't have such a good start, but you've made something out of yourself and that's what counts. And please know, You are never alone again, mi Amado, never. I'm here, and I won't leave!".........  
End

**Author's Note:**

> Mi Amado means "My Love" or "My beloved" in spanish.  
I hope ya'll liked it!!


End file.
